This invention relates to an IC card and an IC module mounted or built therein
In recent years, studies have been progressed about cards called as chip card, memory card, micom card or electronic card (hereinafter referred to merely as IC card) equipped with an IC chip such as microcomputer (hereinafter called MPU), memory, etc.
Such an IC card, due to its greater memory capacity as compared with the magnetic card of the prior art, is intended to memorize the history of deposits and savings in place of a bank book in bank businesses or to memorize the trading history such as shopping in the credit businesses.
Such an IC card generally comprises a center core in the shape of a card in which an IC module is to be embedded and an oversheet for enhancing mechanical strength of the card laminated on one surface or both surfaces of the center core.
Since the IC module built in such an IC card of the prior art is formed of a material having no elasticity, breaks or cracks may form at the boundary portion between the IC module and the card substrate when the card is strongly bent, or in an extreme case the IC module may fall off or become separated from the card.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses and solves the above drawback. Its object is to provide an IC card with an IC module built there sufficient mechanical strength and flexibility against breakage or cracks during being. In order to accomplish such an object , the IC card according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises an IC card comprising an IC module embedded in a card substrate, said IC card having a reinforcing sheet layer laid in the planar direction of the card so as to cover at least the peripheral portion of the boundary between the card substrate and the IC module.
Further, the IC card according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises an IC card comprising an IC module comprising an IC chip, a circuit substrate, etc., embedded in an IC module substrate built in a card substrate, said IC module having a reinforcing member comprising at least a part of the side portion of said IC module substrate extended in the outer circumferential direction.
Also, the IC card according to the present invention may be a combination of the two embodiments as specified above. That is, the IC card of the present invention can be provided with both of the above reinforcing sheet and the above reinforcing member to obtain synergetically excellent mechanical strength and flexibility.